To George Gerrard. Walton quotes this letter in full in his _Life of
Donne_, and in spite of their length his comments cannot be omitted here:
"We left the Author sick in Essex, where he was forced to spend much
of that winter, by reason of his disability to remove from thence: And
having never for almost twenty yeares omitted his personall Attendance
on his Majesty in that moneth in which he was to attend and preach to
him; nor having ever been left out of the Roll and number of
Lent-Preachers; and there being then (in January 1630[1]) a report
brought to London, or raised there, that Dr. Donne was dead: That
report gave him occasion to write this following letter to a
friend....
"Before that moneth ended, he was designed to preach upon his old
constant day, the first Friday in Lent; he had notice of it, and had
in his sicknesse so prepared for that imployment, that as he had long
thirsted for it, so he resolved his weaknesse should not hinder his
journey; he came therefore to London, some few dayes before his day
appointed. At his being there many of his friends (who with sorrow saw
his sicknesse had left him onely so much flesh as did cover his bones)
doubted his strength to performe that task; and therefore disswaded
him from undertaking it, assuring him however, it was like to shorten
his daies; but he passionately denyed their requests, saying, _he
would not doubt that God who in many weaknesses had assisted him with
an unexpected strength, would not now withdraw it in his last
employment; professing an holy ambition to performe that sacred work_.
And when to the amazement of some beholders he appeared in the Pulpit,
many thought he presented himself not to preach mortification by a
living voice, but mortality by a decayed body and dying face. And
doubtlesse many did secretly ask that question in _Ezekiel, Do these
bones live? or can that soul Organize that tongue, to speak so long
time as the sand in that glasse will move towards its Centre, and
measure out an hour of this dying mans unspent life?_ Doubtlesse it
cannot; yet after some faint pauses in his zealous prayer, his strong
desires enabled his weake body to discharge his memory of his
preconceived meditations; which were of dying, the Text being, _To God
the Lord belong the issues from Death_. Many that then saw his teares,
and heard his hollow voice, professing they thought the Text
prophetically chosen, and that Dr. Donne _had preach't his own
funerall sermon_.
"Being full of joy that God had enabled him to performe this desired duty,
he hastened to his house, out of which he never moved, till like St.
_Stephen_, _he was carryed by devout men to his Grave_."